1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photographic film package with flash unit, and more particularly to a compact arrangement of a flash unit in a lens-fitted photographic film package.
2. Related Art
Lens-fitted photographic film packages (hereinafter referred to as film packages) are now on the market, for example, under a trademark "Quick Snap", which are a single-use camera pre-loaded with photographic film. These film packages make it possible to take pictures whenever desired without buying or carrying an expensive and heavy camera. Because the film package can take pictures of sufficient quality in spite of its low cost, various types of film packages, such as film packages with flash units, film packages for telephotography, and so forth, have been provided and marketed. For example, a film package with flash unit as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publ. No. 2-34688, is provided with an AA-type battery for charging the flash unit, which is a relatively large electrical unit. As shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings, in the above-mentioned known film package with flash unit, the battery 10 is disposed between a film cassette chamber 11 and a film roll chamber 12 below a taking lens 13. The lengthwise direction of the battery 10 is horizontal, that is, parallel to the film transport direction. A main capacitor 14 of the flash unit is disposed on the right side of the film roll chamber, oriented vertically to the film transport direction.
A flash circuit board 15 has a plurality of cut-outs, including a cut-out 15a for mounting a light projector of the flash unit, as shown in FIG. 5. A cut-out formed in the upper and left corner provides space for a viewfinder, and a cut-out formed in the lower and left corner provides space for the battery 10, since the spacing between the cassette chamber 11 and the film roll chamber 12 is minimized so as to make the horizontal length of the film package as short as possible.
Nevertheless, because the main capacitor 14 is also a relatively large electrical unit, the conventional arrangement of the main capacitor 14 increases the horizontal length of the film package by an amount necessary for providing the space for the main capacitor 14 on the right side of the film roll chamber 12. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the compactness of such a film package with flash unit.
Moreover, because the battery 10 is accommodated in such a way that a photofinisher can easily remove the battery 10 from the film package, it is possible that a customer may remove the battery 10 before forwarding the film package to the photofinisher. However, for environmental protection and the recycling of industrial waste, it is desirable to recover the battery 10, the relatively expensive flash circuit board 15, and the film package body as well. Therefore, the removal of the battery 10 should be made difficult.